Flames and Friendship
by Jessica Wolfe
Summary: -one shot- Rated for some language. The fight with Hikou. Tasuki POV. WARNING: OAV spoilers!


Flames and Friendship  
  


I was aware that I was lying on the ground. And that I hurt. Not too much else registered though. I tried to open my eyes. I felt that something important was happening and I had to be ready for it.  
  
Damn. Why did I hurt so much?   
  
Something moved against my cheek. Water? I finally got my eyes open. I could see stalactites overhead. Was I in a cave? A bit of memory returned. We were looking for Miaka. She'd been kidnaped by- someone. I closed my eyes and forced myself to remember. It was imperative that I remember. Lives were at stake.  
  
We'd come to save Miaka. Chichiri, Taka, and myself. She'd been kidnaped by one of Tenkou's goons. Someone from Chichiri's past.  
  
I opened my eyes, sat up, and saw him. Dressed in a red and white kimono. Wings of water spread wide. And he was chanting a spell.   
  
Hikou.  
  
That's why I hurt. He'd pummeled Taka and me with his water attack and now he was going to finish us off.  
  
Another voice rose over Hikou's. A voice that I recognized. I looked to my left and saw him. Chichiri. He was chanting a counter spell. As I watched both men released their spells. Blue chi rushed toward red. They collided in a spectacular flash.  
  
"Amazing," I heard Taka whisper next to me. I guess he'd come around too.  
  
"No shit," I replied.  
  
For a moment I felt tiny, surrounded by those two immense auras. The one filled with concern and caring, the other full of hatred and bent on revenge. And then, suddenly, Chichiri's aura was gone. It was only for a second, but my heart lurched. Then it was back, only greatly reduced. Chichiri had used a lot of his chi to penetrate Hikou's kekkai. I actually saw Chichiri for a second as he stood behind Hikou before something blocked my view. It took me a second to realize that it was Chichiri's kesa.

"Tasuki!"

A cold chill went down my spine. "Chichiri?"

"Burn my kesa. Concentrate all your fire on it and you can break his kekkai. Then the flames can reach inside and destroy him."

My heart stopped. Chichiri was inside the kekkai with Hikou. He'd be killed.

"But you'll die too," I shouted.

I could feel his chi dropping and I knew that he would die if I didn't do anything.

"My body can't take much more of this," came his strained voice. "Tasuki! Do it now!"

The tessen shook in my hands, and Chiriko's face appeared before me. The youthful features were clenched in agony as he drove Miboshi's prayer wheel into his own heart.

"I am a Suzaku Shichiseishi!" the boy screamed.

Tears stung me eyes and my hands tightened around the tessen's handle.

This had happened before. Damn it!

"Tasuki!" Chichiri's voice cut into my thoughts. "Do it! Tasuki!"

I closed my eyes against the tears. I didn't want to lose another friend. Especially since it was Chichiri. We had gotten so close over the years since we'd defeated the Seiryuu Seishi. I didn't want to be the only one left.

"Tasuki."

I looked at Taka, who had called my name. He was full of determination, and I could almost see his battle aura. He seemed more like the Tamahome I remembered than at any other time during this adventure. My grief vanished. I wasn't alone. If I could break the kekkai then Taka could take out Hikou.

"Run Tama," I yelled.   
  
"Rekka-"

I watched Taka run. I'd have to time this just right or I'd take out Chichiri and Taka as well as Hikou.   
  
Now!

"Shinen!"

Flames engulfed Chichiri's kesa. Taka wasn't in place yet and Hikou was fighting me. I couldn't expect any help from Chichiri, occupied as he was. I concentrated, refusing to allow Hikou to push my flames away. There was too much at stake. Then Taka was there. I released all my reservations and pounded my chi into the flames.

"Hakuroen!"

The kekkai shattered and I quelled my fire. Taka struck a fatal blow and Hikou started to disintegrate. I sank into the water feeling weak and spent. I saw Taka catch Miaka and turned my attention to Chichiri.  
  


My fellow seishi looked battered and worn. His clothing was hanging in shreds on his body. And he looked older than I remembered. After a snide comment in Taka's direction I stood and walked to his side.  
  


What do you say to a man who's just lost his best friend... again?  
  


"Chichiri-"  
  
"Daijyobu," he said softly.   
  
He bent over and picked up the jade ornament that Hikou'd worn on his forehead.   
  
"Daijyobu, na no da," Chichiri repeated.  
  
He looked up at me and smiled. It was a real smile too. Not one of those fake smiles that his mask gives. I smiled back.  
  
"Hikou, Kouran, and I will be reunited one day," Chichiri said. "And he and I have forgiven each other. Everything's okay now."


End file.
